The bar takes its name from a classic Edwardian cocktail (a classic Martini served with a pickled onion), which was invented in the early 1900s and remains a classic on many cocktail menus across the world.
On its website, the bar says: “The Gibson bar pays homage to the cocktail’s journey. The bar is a time machine and through the selection of your drink, you are in control of your destination.
“Embarking from Edwardian London, your first stop might be a spring evening in the 1920s or a winter’s night of a time yet to come… all in the time it takes to mix a drink.”
Expect jazz, blues and all kinds of glamour when drinking in the Gibson; perhaps you’ll also be served by an old-fashioned flapper girl.
Not only does the Gibson offer a history lesson in cocktails, the bar itself is also something of an art deco time capsule, featuring beautiful geometric accents across its frontage and inside.
The menu is designed in black and white, using art deco, historic and naturalist imagery. There’s a lot going on, but it all makes sense and is in keeping with the overall style of the cocktail bar – giving drinkers a history lesson about many of the cocktails.
On the menu, you’re encouraged to choose a season “you feel like visiting”, then select a month and a drink from the month – your option will then “set the co-ordinates of your destination” in history.
There is great skill displayed in the menu, with many of the drinks containing a significant number of ingredients.
Under the category of Solmonth (January), we chose Beyond Pines made with Monkey Shoulder & Spruce Resin Infusion, Kamm & Sons Lemon, Pineapple & Elderflower Juice, smoked juniper and rosemary honey, hot gooseberry chutney, ginger beer, real wasabi and matcha.
There are no prices on the menu; however, they are usually around £11 and upwards.
